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For some (probably daft reason) I'm seriously considering buying one. Probably something tired internally that I can re-fit.
We live a five minute walk from moorings (and a world class boatyard if there are things my skills fail at) but really fancy the idea. Initial thoughts are buy in the autumn, re-fit over the winter then finance the running costs by renting it out for a few weeks in the summer season.
Obv. there are specialist sites and forums that I should go to for in-depth advice, just thought I'd ask the question here in case there is knowledge and/or enthusiasts?
Forum:- Canal World Discussion Forum http://www.canalworld.net/forums/ They also have a Facebook group.
Online magazine:- Towpath Talk http://www.towpathtalk.co.uk/
I own a share in a narrowboat, and know a decent amount about them.
Firstly they can be costly to run and maintain, but not necessarily prohibitively.
Secondly privately renting out a narrowboat is something that is usually rarely done. The commercial C&RT license and insurance prices skyrocket AFAIK.
Don't get me wrong I love ours and even if it is a share we do own a physical percentage of the boat but also only incurr our share of running costs. It's gives me 4 weeks a year on the cut which is plenty when working full time too.
We own a share in a 58ft based on the macclesfield.
Thankyou - I'll go have a nose around.Originally Posted by mattlad
Aaah, the dreaded insurance. Hadn't thought of that.... I will have to investigate. Can't really afford to do it unless it can be made to pay it's way a bit.
I have built a couple, the last was a 57ft John Pinder hull that I designed and he built.
I owned it with two other families, all with Riley car connections. Great fun. Called it "The Life of Riley".
Sold up when the other two families had catastrophic health issues.
I would do another one without doubt, but tempus fugit.
then consider a share, we own one fixed week and our total fiscal comittment was £800 going in and £370 a year, more could be payable if the engine went bang or similar.This covers all insurance,mooring,Recovery,improvements. On top per week used we pay derv,toilet pump out gas at approx £115 a week and food.
We swap and truck weeks between members,buy and sell weeks as needed from members if available and have a chairman,agm, but i dont see the boat all year.
Shares can be fixed weeks like ours or on a seasonal rota, school holiday priority and from 1 week to half a year depending on your requirement.
Link to our crappy website here.http://www.straitandnarrow.co.uk/
Some shares for sale inc one on our boat http://www.boatshare.co.uk/forsale/
Last edited by MCFastybloke; 10th August 2016 at 10:16. Reason: Bad Spelling
That might well be worth looking into as an alternative, thanks.
There was a good cheap one on the Avon a month or so ago;
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...WKVvvy78OPNRnQ
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YOU ARE BUYING A SUNKEN BOAT.
ONCE I HAVE SOLD YOU THE BOAT:
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO RAISE THIS BOAT.
I SHALL NOT BE HELD LIABLE OR RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR INJURY CAUSED DURING THE RECOVERY OF THE BOAT.
Got it?
My parents have a narrow boat which they have owned for a couple of years.
The most important thing to check or have checked from what my father told me was before you purchase any boat is the condition of the hull. This can be a make or break situation if I remember correctly he had the boat dry docked for a thorough investigation to check the thickness of hull. alternatively you could buy an ally hulled boat which will resolve the issue although they seem to be a fair bit more expensive.
Secondly is the engine, the older narrow boats had old London taxi engines installed which were obviously never designed to be a marine based engine. They inevitably die and a replacement is required circa £10k.
Everything else is pretty straightforward IMO. There are a number of company's that offer PPI for potential buyers and I would well recommend it.
Have you looked at mooring and the fees associated with them?
Regards
Hi Glyn, Yes I've checked out mooring fees etc and on my local waterways it is surprisingly inexpensive. Looks like it's the insurance side of things that could be the biggest issue - particularly if I wanted to rent it out. I'm checking out the costs to see where it would stand.
I know about the hull thickness - which is also daft as my companies technology would pretty much prevent any hull rot. Hadn't occurred to me before but it's a market I ought to look into selling to....
Can you rent it out on an informal basis, perhaps advertising it (with permission from the owner and a charitable donation) on a forum of some kind? You could even supply route maps (X hours to pub for lunch, X to pub for the evening and overnight mooring etc).
I lived on a narrow boat on the Thames for a couple of years, it was great fun.
"A man of little significance"
Haha! Sneaky Well, given your handle, "So cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a fox"
Licensing etc is phenomenally more expensive if you hire it out; plus the requirements re. home base, maintenance, etc are stringent.
I have heard - not personal experience of course - that some owners allow trusted friends to borrow it, and these trusted friends, no matter how hard you try to stop them, insist on pressing a contribution towards ongoing costs into your palm.
We love narrow boating and have been three times in the last four years, most recently in 70ft affair on the Kennet and Avon - great fun!
Part of the appeal to us is that we can choose where we go and we've tried different styles and sizes in different locations. We often get to talking about owning one but realise we would get the use for the money - maybe different if we lived 5 minutes away....
I would definitely press some money into the hand of a friend who owned one and let me borrow it
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